Microsoft Secure Boot is a component of Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system that relies on the UEFI specification s secure boot functionality to help prevent malicious software applications and “unauthorized” operating systems from loading during the system start-up process.
While there is some concern that Microsoft Secure Boot will make it difficult to install Linux or other operating systems on a Windows 8 computer, the secure boot functionality in Windows 8 is primarily designed to protect users from rootkits and other low-level malware attacks by blocking unauthorized (non-signed) executables and drivers from being loaded during the boot process.
Personal computers bearing the Windows 8-certified logo will be required to ship with Microsoft Secure Boot enabled.
